Chapter Base to Bath Stone of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Base to Bath Stone

Base The basis, or that on which an animal walks (Greek, baino, to go, and basis, a footstep). The foot is the foundation- hence, base of a pillar, etc. It is also the lowest part, and hence the notion of worthless. Bass in music (Italian, basso) is the lowest part, or the part for the lowest compass of voice.

Base Tenure Holding by copy of court-roll, in opposition to freeholders.

Base of Operation in war. That is, a fortified or otherwise secure spot, where the magazines of all sorts can be formed, whence the army can derive stores, and upon which (in case of reverse) it can fall back. If a fleet, it is called a movable base; if a fortified or other immovable spot, it is called a fixed base. The line from such a base to the object aimed at is called “the Line of Operation.”

Bashaw An arrogant, domineering man; so called from the Turkish viceroys and provincial governors, each of whom bears the title of bascha (pacha).
   A three-tailed bashaw. A beglerbeg or prince of princes among the Turks, having a standard of three horse-tails borne before him. The next in rank is the bashaw with two tails, and then the bey, who has only one horse-tail.

Basilian Monks Monks of the Order of St. Basil, who lived in the fourth century. This Order has produced 14 popes, 1,805 bishops, 3,010 abbots, and 11,085 martyrs.

Basilica Originally the court of the Athenian archon, called the basileus, who used to give judgment in the stoa basilike. At Rome these courts of justice had their nave, aisles, porticoes, and tribunals; so that when used for Christian worship very little alteration was needed. The church of St. John Lateran at Rome was an ancient basilica.

Basilics or Basilica. A digest of laws begun by the Byzantine emperor Basilius in 867, and completed by his son Leo, the philosopher, in 880.

Basilidians A sect of Gnostic heretics, followers of Basilides, an Alexandrian Gnostic, who taught that from the unborn Father “Mind” was begotten; from Mind proceeded “The Word”; from the Word or Logos proceeded “Understanding”; from Understanding “Wisdom” and “Power”; from Wisdom and Power “Excellencies,” “Princes,” and “Angels,” the agents which created heaven. Next to these high mightinesses come 365 celestial beings, the chief of whom is Abraxas (q.v.), and each of whom has his special heaven. What we call Christ is what the Basilidians term The firstbegotten “Mind.”

Basilisco A braggart; a character in an old play entitled Solyman and Perseda. Shakespeare makes the Bastard say to his mother, who asks him why he boasted of his ill-birth, “Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco-like”- i.e. my boasting has made me a knight. (King John, i. 1.)

Basilisk The king of serpents (Greek, basileus, a king), supposed to have the power of “looking any one dead on whom it fixed its eyes.” Hence Dryden makes Clytus say to Alexander, “Nay, frown not so; you cannot look me dead.” This creature is called a king from having on its head a mitre-shaped crest. Also called a cockatrice, and fabulously alleged to be hatched by a serpent from a cock's egg.

“Like a boar
Plunging his tusk in mastiff's gore:
Or basilisk, when roused, whose breath,
Teeth, sting, and eyeballs all are death.”
King: Art of Love.

Basket To be left in the basket. Neglected or uncared for. Left in the waste-basket.
   To give a basket. To refuse to marry. In Germany a basket [korb] is fixed on the roof of one who has been jilted, or one who, after long courtship, cannot persuade the lady courted to become his wife.

Basochians Clerks of the basilica or palace. When the Kings of France inhabited the “Palace of Justice,” the judges, advocates, proctors, and lawyers went by the common name of the clercs de la basoche; subsequently (in 1303) divided into “Clerks of the Palace,” and “Clerks of the Châtelet.” The chief of the basochians was called Le roi de la basoche, and had his court, coin, and grand officers. He reviewed